Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

I finished a large fountain around thanksgiving, (I posted a picture of it in the gallery a couple of weeks ago) I had been making murals for a while, different styles and sizes many in talavera. Trying to work on such a large design and project in my studio was tedious, the sets of spills had to be remade three times in order to get them to flow correctly. I had problems with talc impurities in my tiles from the clay, most of the 400 tiles had to be glaze fired twice. Several times I was on the verge of starting over with a different design and style but my husband is my cheerleader and gave me the old you can do it cheer and I did. This experience has taught me to keep my murals and fountains to a managable size maybe 3'x5' at the largest. I felt like I had conquered the clay for a minute then came back to reality. Denice

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Successfully switched from cone 10 heavy reduction to cone 6 oxidation last year. Built a new studio in the garage of a rental. Got a small palette of glazes going that I like, which fit my work both physically and aesthetically.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

When I fell in love with Nkaed Raku.. I firsts saw a piece at the Cape Fear Studio's annual fall competition. A Ms. Brooks from Durham won first place with a small piece that was amazing. I read and tried to learn on my own about this process with little success. Then I met and experienced Charlie and Linda Riggs at a workshop I helped sponsor in Parkton, N.C. I am now in the refining stages of a work shop with Wally Asselbeghrs of Belgium for March 23, 24 and 2th in Parkton again. Naked Raku has changed the way I look at what I make, not just for this process, but for every piece of pottery I make. I defines what I will make and the finish I put on the piece. I pushes me to make the piece more uniform in thickness. It forces me to finish the surface to a very fine sheen. I makes me think of the form and how it will be affected by the fire and the smoke. I makes me think, how will the viewer see this piece.

I still love my other work, but I am struck and stuck with new outlet for my artistic abilities.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Not as big a milestone as yours but after struggling for almost two years with centring clay I got a late (and slow) start in wheelwork. I recently saw a video on how to centre pots on the wheel and to trim without using coils of clay to hold the pots to the wheel. First try, my small pot flew off the wheel and broke. Second try I got it right and have gotten it right ever since. I felt quite proud of myself!

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Learning how to center large amounts of clay 15kgs in the Japanese style -- 5 kg at a time this past year; then having a think about REALLY soft clay and pug mills and wrists and aging. And being able to buy one! And also seeing some amazingly large platters at Hamada Shoji Style exhibition at Panasonic Building in Tokyo this past summer and saying to myself now there's a goal. Oh boy. There's a goal...indeed.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

We have all enjoyed "Aha!"moments of delight when we realize we have passed a milestone in our journey with clay.

It could be a great show or just a single satisfying sale to a specific person ... a kiln load that turned out just the way you wanted.

A first tea pot that actually pours well ... a mug that sits just right ... the first time you centered clay and felt that lovely rightness of it.

A first or a last time ... a new skill or an older one mastered?

Please share with us ...

What was the last milestone you hit in pottery?

I think right now my milestones with clay are rather boring and progressive. I retired from teaching in 2009, setting a goal of cleaning out the shop and becoming more year round productive. I built a bi-level deck in back yard to clear up the area next to the shop. Cleaned most of the shop out, and started throwing again. This week I am adding a 240V heater to be able to throw year round. I have also started reevaluating and adjusting my glazes in the shop. I intend to purchase more clay this month, and begin on some standing orders that I have set up for Spring. I have also decided to become more involved in the past two years-participating on this forum, starting a blog, and looking at a sales avenue. Last weekend I signed up for my first conference in nearly 20 years-all Ceramic not education! So in the long year my milestones are boring, but moving on. I would like to get back to throwing more large puts 20#-25# wheel thrown and combination slab and thrown-just hope I have the ommmph to do it these daysB).

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Had coffee with potter friend, using mug from another accomplished potter. For the first time, after 35 years of holding mine, and other potters coffee mugs, I really SAW and FELT the handle. It was the most comfortable, best designed handle i have ever held. It was a pleasure, and my friend and I had a long discussion about this handle. Came home, where i had a lot of mugs lined up, waiting for handles, so I tried to un-learn what I knew, and re-teach myself. Maybe about 10% will be successful. I think the milestone was waking up, and being aware, and trying to be more aware in what i do.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

I've hit a lot of milestones this year: setting up my own fully-functioning studio at home, firing my own kiln, doing my first pottery show and signing up for another one, actually putting inventory in my Etsy shop and making my fist sale there, too. I am so very pleased with my progress. Thanks for asking the question! Sometimes, it's easy to get discouraged with small setbacks. It's good to look back and see how far I've come.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

I've hit a lot of milestones this year: setting up my own fully-functioning studio at home, firing my own kiln, doing my first pottery show and signing up for another one, actually putting inventory in my Etsy shop and making my fist sale there, too. I am so very pleased with my progress. Thanks for asking the question! Sometimes, it's easy to get discouraged with small setbacks. It's good to look back and see how far I've come.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

One step at a time gets you there, but you are right ... sometimes you have to look back and see that you actually have made the trip.

Now, what is next on your plan?

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

The biggest thing was to actually take clayseriously. I had been a Hobby Potter fora long time and with much pushing by someone who has been a full time productionpotter for 40 years I finally got serious.

1. I made plans with my throwing schedule andsome discipline around what I was producing.

2. Built my own studio in my garage 500sqft

3. Created all my own glazes (this is a hugeundertaking and months of work.)

4. Sold what I was producing at a few artfairs.

5. Got up the courage to setup a wholesaleaccount with a local gallery/gift shop

Share on other sites

After 4 months of having to destroy kiln load after kiln load of pottery with a hammer because the new glazes we went to kept getting pinholes. Utterly gorgeous colors, beautiful glaze effects, and pinholes. On top of that spending $300-400 per month in power because we tried to solve the problem with extra long holds during kiln firings, controlled cool downs, etc. The answer turned out to be thicker kiln shelves which slowed the cool down enough at the top to allow the pinholes to heal over.

By the time we got that figured out in September, we were utterly burned out. Thank goodness that's all behind us.